£45m college campus to help build greener future

Jun 28 2008 by Paul Loraine, The Journal

A COLLEGE in the North is planning a £45m campus that aims to help the region cash in on the Government’s drive for renewable energy and other green policies.

Newcastle College wants to spend the money on a centre of excellence to train a new generation of environmentally- friendly construction workers.

The Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Construction and Renewable Energy will provide courses which allow for changes in the way bricklayers, joiners and the like will be asked to go about their jobs in the light of pressing environmental concerns.

It is hoped that the centre could be up and running by 2011 and college officials are currently looking at five possible sites – one of which is on the south side of the River Tyne.

College bosses said they hope the centre will create jobs for the region and put the North East on the map as a place to study sustainable construction techniques.

They said the plans provide a response to recent reports that the UK construction industry is lagging behind its European partners in the integration of renewable energies.

College principal and chief executive Jackie Fisher said: “The Centre of Excellence will be a significant investment for the college and the region and will enable us to nurture and develop the next generation of construction workers.

“This development will encourage the effective integration of sustainability into building design and construction and will invest not only in the future careers of young people, but also in the future of the UK’s biggest industry.”

Colin Stott, director of construction automotive and land-based studies at the college, added: “We are looking at changes within the construction industry with sustainable construction and renewable energy high on the agenda.

“We are thinking about the impact of this agenda on the people who are training. What is the impact on the brick workers, the joiners? What are they being asked to do differently?

“Then you have your plumbers and electricians, as well as your construction managers – all of whom this agenda will have an impact on.”

He said the overall aim of the centre will be to ensure the region has the infrastructure it needs to drive forward its position in the market for sustainability skills, materials and techniques.

The centre will provide support to all parts of the sustainable construction and renewable energy supply chain in the region, building on the college’s relationships with employers and manufacturers.

David Hewitt, director of the Marine Design Centre in Newcastle, said it was important to create a skilled workforce to cope with changing times. He said: “Clearly there are business opportunities for the region here and we need to make sure we have the right skills to take those opportunities.

“That will happen partly through existing universities and new centres such as this one – all of this will contribute to raising the skill level for those jobs.

“We need to see quite clearly what Newcastle College proposes to do and it’s important that we think about it as a region.

“You need to take into consideration what infrastructure already exists in the region before you add to it.”

Newcastle University pro-vice-chancellor and leading energy research expert Professor Paul Younger said: “This development is excellent news for the North East, and can only strengthen the drive to establish our region as the energy capital of the UK.”